


Train Spotting

by VirusInTheCity



Category: Original Work
Genre: Love, M/M, One Shot, Original Fiction, Sad
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-07-09
Updated: 2012-07-09
Packaged: 2017-11-09 11:53:15
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,050
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/455128
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/VirusInTheCity/pseuds/VirusInTheCity
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Two men are posed with a complicated problem: run away together, or forsake their love forever.  Could be set in any time period.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Train Spotting

“Do you think that we should get someone else in on this?” I asked my companion as we walked out of the large brick building. We had just been through the arduous process of transferring all of my funds into a new account, the traditional way of laundering money. Under normal circumstances I wouldn’t have agreed to this outrageous proposition, desperate times calls for desperate measures.

“It’s up to you; you’re the one in charge of the money. But keep in mind that the more people that get involved the more strings that need to be tidied up afterwards.” He was clearly implying an endeavor that was far from tidy. Why he thought we needed to murder any additional help, was beyond my comprehension. I voiced my thoughts, quietly, due to the fact that we were walking back to my flat on a fairly congested street; to be overheard would end our plans before they even began. “We won’t make enough profit to share with that many people. Or have you forgotten?”

Of course I hadn’t forgotten. There were a multitude of reasons for the two of us doing this; the primary motivator was that we had been discovered. To be discovered as we had, meant death in this town, and every other one we could run to. But my companion and lover assured me that if we went someplace that no one knew who we were, then we could be safe, and more importantly, happy. We were going to travel from our little town of Eaton, to London, but we needed money to get us there no questions asked. “Can we just go home now? “ I was tired and I didn’t want to think about the mighty task we had before us any longer. The city had given us a week to either get out, or repent and suffer the penalty; we both agreed that the first option was more agreeable. We walked a little bit faster to avoid the malignant glances that we got as we walked together, a hair closer to each other than two grown men should. My companion simply nodded in agreement.

When we reached the stout stone building that contained my home, and the homes of two other families, I let out a sigh of relief. I went bounding up the stairs to set the kettle on. After I set out a teapot and two cups for myself and my companion, I walked into the living room just as he was coming up the stairs. “Are you sure about this?” I asked, voice trembling. I was so afraid that we were going to get caught again, and I didn’t think I could handle going through this again. “What makes you think that going to London is going to be any better than being here?” I sat down on the couch and dropped my head into my hands, overwhelmed by the day.

“We have to be sure, otherwise we’ll never get through this. “ He smiled and knelt down in front of me. “Edgar…” he soothed. I lifted my head to him and kissed him lightly. He always knew how to make me feel more at ease.

“I love you, Bartholomew.” I had only told him that two other times before now, and although he returned my sentiments each time, it was hesitantly done. Tonight was no exception, he looked me in the eyes and tried so hard to mean it with all of his being, and I could see the struggle in his eyes. I knew he loved me though because he was the one that made the decision for us to run away. Only love could make him want to leave everything and travel into the unknown with me; or maybe I’m just naïve.  
Eventually he ended up saying: ‘’I know.” I guess that’s all I could ask for. Bartholomew got up and walked into the kitchen to take the boiling kettle off of the stove, and began making the tea. I waited patiently on the couch and waited for my lover to return so we could discuss our options in a little more detail. Clearly seeing my intentions, he put a finger to his lips, silencing all the thoughts that were bubbling to the surface.

“Why can’t we talk about this?”

“I just want to relax,” Bartholomew replied, clearly irritable.

“We only have four more days. What are we supposed to do?”

“We need to not panic…” Slowly sipping his tea, he seemed lost in thought. Based on his replies, he wasn’t thinking about our eminent departure, but his body language gave no clue as to what he was thinking about. He drifted off into a light sleep, tea still in hand. I got up and took the cup from his hand so he wouldn’t drop it and wake. I walked to the kitchen and looked around, taking in all that I was about to leave behind. I had lived in this place all my life and it would be so strange to leave; to go someplace new and foreign, well foreign to me. The only consolation that I had was that I wouldn’t be doing it alone. I may not have had my family on my side anymore, not since they found out, but I had someone else to love me. Even as a child I think my parents knew, they had to. Not many boys at the age of ten know how to fully lace a woman's dress, and given the fact that my mother stopped wearing that style five years prior there wasn’t much of an excuse. My dad wrote it off as me being a dutiful elder brother; my sister was three when I was ten, so it wasn’t really information that I was likely to use for quite some time.

After about an hour I went to the sleeping man, who showed no signs of stirring, and kissed him lightly on the lips. He awoke with a start, “Edgar, what in God’s name are you doing?” his temper was hardly masked. My heart dropped into my feet, my eyes followed suit.

“I was waking you up… And being affectionate.” I looked up and shot him a meek smile.

“It was that type of behavior that got us into this situation in the first place.” He got up and stormed up the stairs to his bedroom. Despite the fact that we shared the bedroom, he had always called it his, it was just easier for me to do so as well.

“I guess I’ll just sleep downstairs tonight.” The comment was more to myself than to Bartholomew, not that he could have heard me at that point anyway. I walked, sulking, to couch and picked up a lumbar pillow to place under my head, and pulled the blanket off the back of my makeshift bed. Having settled in for the night I decided to read the paper until sleep took me, which, as it turns out was a mistake. Evidently, in such a small town, when two men are found to have given their souls to Satan, that is big news. The headline read: “Repent or Die: Two Men Found in the Clutches of Sin” not the best way to settle the mind before retiring. I threw the paper down in disgust, knowing that Bartholomew had already read it, and that was probably what had set him on edge.  
I woke some time later, the morning sun was peaking through the curtains in the kitchen, casting light into the flat. It was a week day, but I had already quit my job, or rather, the newspapers ensured that I no longer had a job, so I didn’t have to prepare for the day, but I wanted to just to keep up appearances. Bartholomew was still sleeping, so I walked quietly up to his bedroom, careful not to be too loud when I opened the door. My lover stirred in his bed slightly, so I dressed quickly and descended the stairs to start breakfast. He came down shortly after I did, looking as somber as he had the night before. “Good morning.” I smiled.

“Morning.”

“So, today is the big day? We’re headed out, to the big city! I saw that you packed your bag last night.” I was almost excited by this point. Anything was better than being where we were.

“Yeah, about that,” my heart dropped a little, “I think we should leave separately. You know, so we don’t attract attention.” He was clearly still groggy, because he didn’t make sense. How could he think it was so easy to just leave without him? He was my rock; he was getting me through this. I knew from past experiences however, that I never won fights, I gave in too easily, it was a flaw of mine.

“Okay.” It was almost painful to say.

“You should leave first. Then I’ll find you when I get to London.” He was very serious, and it worried me.

“Okay.” Apparently that was all that I was capable of thinking, or saying. However, it was far from how I was feeling. I finished making breakfast quickly; and we ate in silence. Afterwards, I cleaned up while Bartholomew went upstairs and brought my bags down for me; he placed them by the front door. I walked over, travel coat already on, ticket for the train in hand. “How will I know when you get there?”

“I’ll write you a letter. But in the mean time, I want you to find someplace to live, and start looking for jobs.” He was scaring me a little.

“Are you not coming right after me? How long do I have to wait until I see you again?” My panic was rising, and I didn’t know what to do.

“Just do what I say.” He gave me a quick peck on the forehead, assuaging my nerves, but only slightly.

“Okay.” Back to that dreadful word. I picked up my bags and headed to the train station, knowing that I would miss many things about my old life. On the way, I stopped by the bank, and emptied the account that I filled yesterday. Everything was so simple in Eaton, so convenient. While I sat on the train to London, I wondered what it would be like to live in such a large place, with so many people. It would most certainly be different, but maybe Bartholomew would like that better. I wished with all my being that he was on the train with me, to help me through the turmoil that my thoughts were going through. I arrived in London station about four hours later; I waited in the station for six hours, and watched as three trains from Eaton pulled in. None of them was holding my love. He must have been nervous and decided that leaving on different trains wasn’t enough, deciding different days would be enough to cover their tracks.

I left the trains for another day. I went to go find a new place for the two of us to live, it still only had to be a one bedroom, so it didn’t look peculiar that I was searching alone. Each day I returned to the station, watching as the trains from Eaton pulled in and out, every single one filled, but not one had the man I cared for. I decided to get a job working for the train station, as I had been going there every day anyway. I had developed quite the knack for recognizing train types, and memorizing schedules; they hired me almost immediately. Each day I walked to and from work, and each day, my hope dropped more and more. By the end of the first year, I knew that Bartholomew had left me. My life had been drastically uprooted, and I had no one to support me. I made it through none the less, with the help of Bartholomew’s instructions. He must have known the difficulties I would have, and told me how to get past them. I don’t know if he loved me or not, his actions are too contradicting for me to come to any sort of conclusion. Where ever he is, I hope he is happy.


End file.
